Marijuana Facts for Teens

The goal of this updated version of the "Marijuana Facts for Teens" publication by the National Institute for Health is to give all teens and parents the straight facts so everyone can make smarter choices and be your best self. It's important that all teens continue with this important conversation and share this information with friends, team mates, parents, teachers, and others.

Get a first-hand account of this book on our blog: https://govbooktalk.gpo.gov/2018/05/07/new-federal-government-publicatio...

 Letter to Teens I.

Some Things to Think About 3

Addiction 3

Driving 4

School 5

Mental Illness 5

II. Want to Know More?  Some FAQs About Marijuana 6

What is marijuana? 7

How does marijuana work? 7  

What happens if you use marijuana 8

What are commmon effects of marijuana on the body, brain, and behavior? 10 

How does smoking marijuana affect the lungs? 11

What are the effects of inhaling secondhand marijuana smoke? 11 

Is vaping marijuana safer than smoking it? 12 

Can marijuna use lead to psychosis? 12 

Can you overdose on marijuana? 12

How long after  use can marijuana show up on a drug test? 14

Does marijuana use lead to other drugs? 14 

What is K2 or Spice and how does it effect the brain? 14

Is it safe to smoke marijuana if you are pregnant or breastfeeding? 16

Can marijuna produce withdrawal symptoms when someone quits using it? 16

What if someone wants to quit marijuana but it's too hard? 16

Is marijuna legal? 18

What's the latest on medical marijuana? 18

III. Other Useful Resources 20

All teens, especially those who are or have used marijuana, or thinking about it, parents of all teens, K-12 school teachers and counsellors, first responders who interact wth teens and drug users, federal, state, and local drug enforcement officials who need to appreciate and consider teen use of marijuana or other drugs.